Monday 4 July 2022 11:48 AM Five-star hoteliers locked in 'completely mad' £60,000 court fight over ... trends now

Monday 4 July 2022 11:48 AM Five-star hoteliers locked in 'completely mad' £60,000 court fight over ... trends now
Monday 4 July 2022 11:48 AM Five-star hoteliers locked in 'completely mad' £60,000 court fight over ... trends now

Monday 4 July 2022 11:48 AM Five-star hoteliers locked in 'completely mad' £60,000 court fight over ... trends now

A family of hoteliers to the stars have been slammed by a judge as 'completely mad' after blowing £60,000 in a court fight over a suitcase of family photos with 'no monetary value'.

Judith Andersson and sister-in-law Diane Ward are part owners of iconic five-star American Colony Hotel, in Jerusalem, founded in 1902, which has played host over the years to Lawrence of Arabia, Winston Churchill and Bob Dylan among others.

The sisters-in-law are currently locked into a bitter legal dispute over what should happen to a suitcase of family pictures.

Ms Andersson, 76, claims that her mother, Frieda, who died aged 77 in Richmond, west London, in 1993, wanted the albums to be shared among the siblings, being passed from one to the next as each died. 

The suitcase of cherished photo albums and papers – described as an 'archive' by Ms Andersson– were taken by the eldest child, Tim, on their mother's death, and he kept them until he died in 2020.

But Ms Andersson is now suing her brother's widow for the suitcase – which sat on the court floor throughout a two-day hearing last week.  

Judith Andersson outside Central London County Court after hearing in row with Diane Ward over 'purple suitcase' full of family photos and papers

Judith Andersson outside Central London County Court after hearing in row with Diane Ward over 'purple suitcase' full of family photos and papers

She claims that his family's refusal to let her have it now was part of her brother's 'twisted retribution' after an earlier inheritance row, which had centred around allegations that she owed her mother money before she died.

In a case that has already racked up £60,000 in legal costs, Ms Andersson claims that in accordance with her mother's wishes, the suitcase should now be handed over to her, since both her brothers are now dead.

The court heard that the disputed photos and papers have 'no monetary value' and that in a previous hearing before another judge, the row was described as 'completely mad' by Judge Nigel Gerald.

The costly battle playing out at Central London County Court over a purple suitcase containing family pictures and other memorabilia is the latest in a series of legal disputes that have bedevilled the the once close-knit family.

Frieda, the matriarch, was born in Jerusalem, where her grandparents Horatio Gates Spafford and Anna Spafford formed the American Colony in the late 19th century, in a former palace which became the American Colony Hotel.

Ms Andersson is now suing her brother's widow, Diane Ward (pictured), for the suitcase, claiming his family's refusal to let her have it now was part of her brother's 'twisted retribution' after an earlier inheritance row

Ms Andersson is now suing her brother's widow, Diane Ward (pictured), for the suitcase, claiming his family's refusal to let her have it now was part of her brother's 'twisted retribution' after an earlier inheritance row

The iconic five-star American Colony Hotel, in Jerusalem, founded in 1902, has played host over the years to Lawrence of Arabia, Winston Churchill and Bob Dylan among others

The iconic five-star American Colony Hotel, in Jerusalem, founded in 1902, has played host over the years to Lawrence of Arabia, Winston Churchill and Bob Dylan among others

The 'purple suitcase' at the centre of court row between Judith Andersson and Diane Ward outside Central London County Court

The 'purple suitcase' at the centre of court row between Judith Andersson and Diane Ward outside Central London County Court

The 'colony' was of devout American and Swedish Christians, who were known for their charity work with local people, irrespective of their religion in the divided Middle East.

The hotel became a haven for Western travellers and today is seen as an 'oasis of neutrality' in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and describes itself as one of Jerusalem's 'premier boutique hotels' and a 'home away from home for discerning travellers.'

Frieda trained as a nurse and lived in Israel, Cyprus, Nigeria and New York during an interesting life, but was living in Hampton Wick, Richmond, when she died in 1993.

She left her estate to her three children, Ms Andersson and her brothers John and Tim Ward.

The American Colony Hotel 

The hotel dates back to the end of the 19th century when the

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